Baby Brioche a Tete with Lemon Curd

I've been on a yeast kick lately and it's probably due to the recent Bread Baker's Apprentice (BBA) Challenge group I've joined. This new found confidence with yeast has been a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to making more breads in the future.

Prior to joining the BBA Challenge, I fell in love with the following brioche dough from Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day. I have yet to get the book but the concept is that by making a large batch of dough and storing it in the refrigerator, you're able to make bread daily with only 5 minutes of kneading time before it bakes. Fresh baked bread will always been on hand without too much time involved. I made a large batch of this brioche dough yesterday and today baked a portion of the dough in my mini brioche molds. No more brioche from the store for me... this is definitely a keeper!

Baby Brioche a Tete
recipe from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day
(makes about 4 loaves and can be halved)

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast (2 packets)
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
8 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup honey (this is my all time favorite!)
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
7 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Mix the yeast, salt, eggs honey and melted butter with the water in a 5-quart bowl, or lidded (not airtight) food container.
Mix in the flour, using a spoon until all of the flour is incorporated.
Cover (not airtight), and allow to sit at room temperature for about two hours.
Once it has risen, chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Take a portion of your chilled dough and butter your Briohe pans well. Cut off a piece of dough that's appropriate for the brioche pan you will be using and form the dough into a boule or ball. Place the boule seem side pan you are using, there are mini pans available) and form into a boule. Place it seem side down in the pan and make an indention on the top of the boule.

Take a smaller piece of dough (compared to the boule you made) to create the head or tete. Form this smaller piece of dough into a small boule or ball, and then shape it into a tear drop.

Place the tear shaped piece into the indentation of the boule in your brioche mold so that the part sticking up looks like a small ball resting on the large ball.


Mist the tops of your brioche with oil, cover loosely with plastic and let rise.
After your brioche has risen, they're ready to bake! Prehat your oven to 350 degrees and bake the brioche for 20 minutes-25 minutes (or longer, if using a large brioche mold.)

When it reaches a nice golden brown color, remove from the molds immediately and place on a cooling rack to cool.

Enjoy as is or with some homemade lemon curd.